


Precious Illusion

by zombierose3



Category: Drop Dead Fred (1991)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Romance, Best Friends, Comedy, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Magic, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24691237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombierose3/pseuds/zombierose3
Summary: Someone has cast a spell on Fred and Lizzie. Together they wake up in an alternate reality where everything has changed, but for better or for worse? The illusion knows their heart’s desires, but for what purpose? Can they undo the spell and find out why it was cast before it’s too late? Or will they choose this reality instead? Post movie. FredxLizzie
Relationships: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cronin/Fred
Comments: 7
Kudos: 14





	Precious Illusion

**Author's Note:**

> This is sort of a dramatic romantic crack fic. I’m not going to edit/line edit this to the extent that I do my other fics, but this has been sitting all alone in my computer for a while so I thought it should get out into the world so it can make something of itself. ;)
> 
> **My other fics on my ZombiewithaNoose account are still going.** 
> 
> **Disclaimer: I sadly don’t own Drop Dead Fred, and I’m not making any money from this, just sleepless nights and lots of Rik Mayall daydreams. (LOTS. You can quote me. Or give me Rik somehow. I’m not too picky.)

**Chapter One **

_We’re Grown Ups Now_

Lizzie awoke, wrapped inside a warm embrace. Bare skin pressed against her naked body. She sighed, still in the daze of sleep as she turned and slipped her arm around the man beside her. Her cheek nestled on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. She loved waking up to this feeling, so peaceful and complete. It made her never want to leave the bed. Those were the best kinds of mornings.

Smiling, she nuzzled closer and breathed in the familiar scent of his skin. Though asleep, he turned and held her tighter. A soft groan escaped him with the nudge of his hips against hers and the smooth caress of his erection along her stomach made Lizzie shiver. She responded by pressing into him, until realization hit.

Who the _hell_ had she slept with?

Rigid with panic, Lizzie opened her eyes and stared at the wall, willing her body to ignore the warm and very naked man in her arms. What did people do in this situation? Her instincts told her to flee, but fear of waking up her mystery date left her paralyzed.

_Oh God. What did you do Lizzie? No, no, no. This isn’t you. You- I mean, I didn’t… I couldn’t have. Oh, please don’t be Charles. Don’t be Charles._

Biting her lip, she squeezed her eyes shut.

_How did this happen? How much wine did I have? Why can’t I remember any of it? Shit. Please, please don’t be Charles! Universe, at least give me that!_

Sucking in a breath, Lizzie braced herself for the inevitable, but the familiar scent of his skin filled her senses. It was earthy, like pine and a mixture she couldn’t quite place.

_That’s not Charles._

Her eyes opened. Charles’ cologne had a sickeningly sweet, yet spicy scent. He hated pine and anything close because he hated the outdoors. Her heart thudded. This man was definitely not her ex-husband, but then who was he? Anxiety coiled inside her stomach so tightly she thought she might snap. This wasn’t like her at all; she didn’t sleep with strange men.

Before Lizzie could come up with a plan, the man stirred and pulled his head back. Their eyes locked. It felt like the moment before a car crash when everything slows down in perfect, horrifying clarity and Lizzie suddenly felt like she was going to die.

“F-Fred?!”

Groggy eyes squinted at her as Fred seemed slow to fully awaken.  
  
“Snotface?” he croaked.

Lizzie nodded. It was all she could manage.

Fred smiled and shut his eyes, looking content to go back to sleep, until…

“Hold on-” Fred’s eyes snapped open, flashing shades of confusion, shock, and finally a mixture of horror and disgust. “S-Snotface?!”

“Fred,” Lizzie flatly said, afraid to blink.

 _This can’t be real_ , she thought. _No, I’m still dreaming; I have to be asleep. Very, very asleep. I’m not naked in my bed with my imaginary friend. Things like that didn’t happen. They don’t because who does those sorts of things?_

The back of her mind betrayed her, echoing, “You do,” and mortifying her beyond repair.

Fred’s gaze slowly traveled down the length of the bed and back up to Lizzie’s eyes before he broke into a hysterical laugh.

Lizzie glared. He might as well have slapped her.

Before she could give him a piece of her mind, Fred silenced and flung himself back, rolling away like he’d been burned.

“Wait, no!” Lizzie yelped as the bed sheet tangled around him and tore from the bed, exposing her in a blur as he tumbled off the edge, and landed with a thud. Frantic, her arms flew over her bare chest and she spun around for something, anything to wear or hang herself with.

Spotting her white robe on the chair by the window, she snatched it like a life preserver, flinging it on, and tying it tight. Lizzie’s heart pounded, pulsing with such force to every limb that she shook from the rush. “Oh my God!”

“Fuck, it’s like a net!” Fred spat, struggling with the sheet, his unruly red hair as wild as him.

Lizzie froze.

Drop Dead Fred. He was really back. He was back, and in her room. And naked. _Very naked._ Naked in her bed. With her. They’d held each other. There’d been rubbing. _Oh god!_

Mortified, Lizzie gripped the front of her robe and tightened the belt again. What was going on? Drop Dead Fred. Naked. Bed. The words did not want to add up for her no matter how much she tried processing them. It was lunacy. There were no other words to describe it.

“Argh! That’s it!” Fred shouted, making Lizzie jump. He popped up from the floor, only to trip over the sheet and fall right back down.

“This isn’t happening,” Lizzie breathed, covering her eyes. “No, no I’ve just lost my mind. That’s all,” she told herself.

Leaping again, Fred kicked the bed sheet and growled. His eyes flashed as he pointed at Lizzie. “Lost your head? I’ll say you have! Where’re my clothes, ya degenerate pervy?”

Lizzie turned her eyes on him to glare, but found him standing there buck naked for all the world to see. “Oh my God! Will you cover yourself, please?” She blushed hard and tried to watch the floor, but it was one of those moments where it was just so unreal she couldn’t look away for long.

“Oh, so now you’re too bashful to look? You were perfectly fine a moment ago when you were all _over_ me and gropey like some, some _girl_! Ugh!” He huffed.

Of course Fred knew that was a lie. He’d felt what his body was doing against her as he’d woken up, but he wasn't about to admit it. Worst of all he had enjoyed it, and a very specific and annoying part of him craved to do it again. He wasn't exactly sure why either and it scared him. All he knew was that Lizzie’s naked body against his own had felt very nice. _Ugh! This is sick and terrible!_ he thought.

Sneering, Fred stooped and snatched the sheet, wrapping it around himself like a haphazard toga. “There. Happy? Think you can control yourself now, Miss Hands?” he muttered, looking around the room.

“Are you serious?” asked Lizzie. “Control my... “ She blinked in astonishment. “What the hell, Fred? You were the one rubbing and- and… other particular things! Oh god, I can’t even say it!” She held her face, half-wanting to scream and half-wanting to strangle him. “I didn’t do anything! Don’t you dare pin any, whatever _this_ is, on me! I was sleeping! Okay?” Desperation rang in her voice.

“I wasn’t- There was no rubbing! I’m not a magic lamp, Snotface! This was you! You and your- Ugh, God I can’t even say it!” he cried, his face noticeably red as he looked anywhere but at her eyes. “Admit it, you were trying to seduce me!”

Lizzie choked. Was he serious? “I was not! You’re imagining things! That was-” She tried to describe what had happened, but she had no rational explanation. Had they done things to one another? Her face flushed at the idea and she wondered if it was too late to run away.

“ _I_ didn’t do this,” she repeated, hoping to convince them both. “ _You_ were the one with the…” Lizzie motioned at the front of his hips and lost all capacity for speech. She hadn’t even known he could physically do that as an imaginary friend.

Fred’s jaw dropped. “Oi, I did not! Now you’re imagining things, you pigeon-pecked knob witch!”

“Pigeon-pecked… I don’t know what that means, but you did so. It’s kinda hard to miss something like that!”

“I did not!”

“Did so.”

“I did not!”

“Dammit, yes you did!”

“Snotface, I did NOT have a stiffy!” he shouted. “And I can prove it by showing you right now!”

Lizzie grabbed a pillow from the bed and whapped him with it. “I’m not having this ridiculous argument anymore! Don’t you dare show me anything!”

“Fine, but I still didn’t,” he said under his breath. He stood taller, looking indignant about the whole matter. “Just so we’re clear, I’m taking this as a win.”

Lizzie exhaled. “I swear it’s like I’m arguing with a child.”

Fred stuck out his tongue and glared, but cast his gaze to the floor.

Lizzie could see the red coloring his face. _Good_ , she thought. _Serves him right._ “Fred?” she said after a moment, “I don’t know what’s going on here, or how I can even see you again, but whatever this game is-”

“Game?” His brows rose. “Puh-lease! I’d never do something like this. What kind of imaginary person do you take me for?”

“Right now I don’t really know.” She crossed her arms, remembering all the times she’d seen him peek under women’s dresses, or when he’d tried to sneak in to watch her and Charles have sex. She’d passed it off as his humor, and the latter as him playing interference, but what if it had been more?

Hurt flashed on his face with an undeniable pout. “Well, maybe you’re the one playing tricks? Hmm? Now, I want my trousers back!”

“Excuse me? I woke up in the same-” She choked. “…situation as you. The last thing I would ever steal is your pants.”

“Uh huh. Sure, Snotface.” He rolled his eyes. “Now give ‘em!” He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers.

Now Lizzie rolled her eyes. “Fred, you’re imaginary. Imagine some pants.”

“I…” His face went blank and his jaw clenched.

Smirking, she watched as his tongue poked the side of his cheek out before he spoke.

“Piss off, Miss Know-It-All.” Fred snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. He tried again, but no result. “Um… Problem,” he said.

Lizzie frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, everything’s great and let’s fart rainbows! What do you think I mean, Snotface? Something’s wrong, obviously.” He rolled his eyes.

“Yes. This whole morning,” Lizzie retorted, crossing her arms. She’d had enough of this cruel joke.

“No, Dummy. I can’t use my magic.” He snapped his fingers three more times and nothing happened.

“Fred, I'm not in the mood for games.”

“For the last time, I’m not playing any games! I wouldn’t joke about any of this, Snotface! Now, will ya listen to me? Look.” He snapped his fingers twice more with the same results. “See? No magic.”

Suddenly the fear in Fred’s voice registered with Lizzie. He was serious and it left a sinking feeling inside her. “Why not?” she whispered, stepping closer to him.

“Because it’s not here.”

The genuine worry on Fred’s face frightened her. “You’re shitting me. Tell me you’re joking.”

Fred shook his head. “‘Fraid not… Do you...” He looked at the bed, hesitating. “Do you remember anything before we...?”

Before Lizzie could answer, the bedroom door slammed open and a little girl bounded inside.

“Mommy!” she cried, running for Lizzie and wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace. Both Lizzie and Fred exchanged a look of shock.

“Mum?” Fred blinked. “Um… Just how long have I been asleep?”

Laughing, the girl turned and ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist. “Morning, Daddy.”

“Daddy?!” he exclaimed, tensing and locking eyes with Lizzie. The two of them just gaped at each other and for the first time in his life, Fred felt scared of a child. “Excuse you, are you lost?” he exclaimed, trying to wriggle out of her grasp.

“Fred!” Lizzie hissed. She was as shocked as him, but she wasn’t about to disagree right now.

“Like you’re not thinking it!” he cried. Lizzie shot him a look, but he continued to try to pry the little girl off him. “She’s unusually strong, this one!”

She laughed. “You’re silly, Daddy.”

“Look, I don’t know who your daddy is, but you’ve got the wrong imaginary man.”

Wrinkling her nose, the little girl looked up at them both. “What? Oh... Oops. You guys are playing pretend again, aren’t you?”

Fred and Lizzie shared another peculiar look.

“Uh… Yes?” Lizzie answered.

“I thought so.”

“Don’t encourage this,” said Fred.

“Fred! Not now,” Lizzie hissed with a smile. She needed to think. Whatever was going on, she needed to talk to Fred alone. “Um... Sweetie?” she asked the little girl, “mind giving us some time to get dressed?”

“Yeah, your, uh… Mum and I were just about to…” Fred trailed off, his eyes locked on the girl. Why did she look so much like him and Lizzie? She had her long hair and nose, and her smile and eyes matched his so much it spooked him. For the first time he realized he could think of nothing to say to a kid.

“We were about finished anyway,” Lizzie added. She swore her heartbeat sounded louder than her own voice. Why was Fred not stepping in to help her with this? Kids were his job! She stared at the child, shivering at the familiar facial features. _This isn’t real,_ she told herself. _You know this, Lizzie. She’s not your kid. Or Fred’s kid._

“Sorry that I forgot to knock.” The girl frowned and hung her head.

Stumbling back, both Fred and Lizzie took a seat on the bed as they witnessed the cloned expression of the meek and sorrowful look that usually belonged to Lizzie.

“No… No worries,” said Lizzie.

“It’s… fine?” added Fred, smiling at the girl with uncontainable confusion. _It’s just your imagination playing tricks. That’s all this is. Or maybe your mates are playing a big trick to get you back for… Well that’s a long list_.

“Can I have cereal for breakfast?” she asked, looking up at Lizzie.

“Um, of course,” she said. The girl grinned exactly like Fred whenever he got excited and Lizzie had to look away.

Climbing onto the bed, the child bounced between them. “Thanks, Mommy!” she said, laughing as she jumped off the bed and ran full speed out the door.

“What the…” Mouth agape, Lizzie raced for the doorway and peered through. The little girl hummed to herself as she poured her cereal, getting more on the counter than in the bowl. Lizzie immediately shut the door and spun around, her eyes landing on Fred.

“WHAT the HELL is going on?” she asked, feeling the color drain from her face. A wide-eyed and very confused Drop Dead Fred stared back at her, shaking his head.

“Don’t look at me! I did _not_ do that!” he said. “I don’t even know why I’m here, or how you can see me for that matter. So, I certainly don’t know _whose_ kid that is!”

Lizzie wrapped her arms around herself, fear gripping her, but she clung hard to denial.

“Very funny, Fred,” she said, stepping away from the door. “This has to be one of your tricks. I don’t know how, but it’s not funny!”

“Do you really think I’d come back just to play house with you? I’ve got better things to do, and a lot better sense of humor,” he said. He sneered at her, rolling his eyes, but his face immediately fell when he noticed the pictures on the nightstand. “Erm… Snotface?” He picked up one of the frames and stared at it with worry. “When did we get married?”

“Huh?”

Lizzie choked when Fred turned the photo around. Inside the golden frame was a picture of her and Fred, both grinning as they embraced and stared into one another’s eyes. Fred wore a suit, one that was actually tasteful, his hair even neat, and Lizzie had on the gown of her dreams. Simple, yet elegant, and one her mother would never approve of her wearing. It was perfect.

Lizzie snatched the photo. “This is… This didn’t happen!” She looked at Fred, begging him for an answer, but he looked just as disturbed as she did. Snatching his left hand, she gasped when she saw a gold wedding band on his finger and a diamond ring on her own. “Am I going crazy?”

Paling, Lizzie suddenly noticed her room had changed. Photos hung on the walls. Photos of her and Fred, ones of them with the little girl, and some of them with Lizzie’s very pregnant belly. “Oh my God…” she gasped, hands covering her mouth. She swayed, but Fred steadied her and helped her to sit down on the bed.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked. All Lizzie could do was point to the pictures, her entire arm quivering. Fred had never seen her this spooked and it worried him. He didn’t even understand where they were, or how to fix it and a huge part of him felt like she looked.

Scrunching his face, Fred turned around. Lizzie watched him place a hand on the wall to steady himself after he saw the pictures and he stumbled back to sit beside her in silence. Together they stared at the room, registering every change, and not moving.

“I don’t believe this…” Fred said after several minutes. “I’ve been domesticated!”

Lizzie glared at him, astounded. “You’ve been what? You’re unbelievable! That’s your concern? That’s what you say after- Why, I could just—”

The sound of the front door opening interrupted her and Lizzie heard the familiar voice of Janie, followed by the little girl cheering about her arrival.

“Hey, Elizabeth!” shouted Janie, knocking on the bedroom door. “I’m here and taking Cara to school.”

“Cara?” Lizzie whispered, glancing at Fred. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. What was happening? “O-okay, Janie,” she called back.

“You coming out to say goodbye?”

“Uh… n-not right now. I’m not feeling too well.”

“Alright, see you after three. Don’t wear Fred out too much.”

_Wear Fred out?_

Their eyes locked a split moment before Lizzie tore away, scooting to the foot of the bed in haste.

“This is REALLY weird,” she said.

“I’ll say. Why would you ever wear me out? I’m Drop Dead Fred. I don’t get tired.” He snorted.

“I don’t think that’s what she meant,” Lizzie mumbled, keeping her eyes on her feet. _I wish I could just go back to sleep and wake up in a normal world where things make sense._

“Then what did she mean?” Fred tilted his head, trying to figure it out. Lizzie supposed the answer came to him because she noticed him move to sit at the other end of the bed very fast.

The front door shut and locked, leaving them alone.

“If- If Janie can see me, then… then that means…” Fred looked down at himself, patting his torso and legs. He didn’t want it to be true. “Th- This isn’t right. No, no. It can’t be _that_.” Fred stared at Lizzie, desperation in his eyes. “Snotface, I can’t be seen like this! How did I become human?” he shouted, leaping up.

“How should I know? I didn’t do it! I’m just as confused as you!”

“Ugh! This is terrible! I’m human, and, and, YECH! _Married!_ How could you and me be doing it like the pigeons? It’s so disgusting!”

Lizzie hopped up and glared. “That’s a very good question because I DON’T KNOW! God! Believe me I wish I did! I don’t remember any of this.” His words stung, but she felt too hurt and confused to ask herself why. “What reason would I have to do any of this to you?” _I’m glad you find me so disgusting_ , she thought.

Fred paused. He’d gone too far. He could see it all over her face, hear it in her voice, only he didn’t quite understand why. Lizzie may have been good at hiding herself from others, but he always knew when she was hurting, and he felt especially terrible when he caused it. “Hey…” he said, moving closer to her. “We’ll figure this out. We always do. We’re Snotface and Drop Dead Fred. This bizarro world can piss off.” He smiled, not sure what else to say.

Lizzie laughed and shook her head. He always made it hard to stay mad at him when he looked at her that way, and he was right. They needed each other to figure this out. “What’s the last thing you remember?” she asked, fidgeting with a loose string on her robe.

Wrinkling his nose, Fred tilted his head. “I was with my new friend… I was…” He squinted. “I don’t know. Hell, I can barely remember her face. It’s like the more I try to remember it, it gets fuzzier… What about you?”

“I was… Well, I know I wasn’t here.” Lizzie’s mouth felt dry. “This… this is all wrong. I know you left, and you were imaginary, and I know I wasn’t a mother.”

“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure I’d remember that one for the both of us,” Fred said. Both of them laughed, nervously before Lizzie stood and walked out to inspect the rest of the apartment.

Fred followed closely behind her. More pictures lined the walls of the two of them, others with Cara, or friends and family. Some pictures were clearly from years ago before Fred even came back into her life, yet there he was, smiling, holding her, laughing with people she knew, playing with Cara...

“None of this makes sense,” Lizzie mumbled. It was then that she noticed that even some of the furniture in her home had changed overnight. Her hands ran over the fabric of the sofa, one which she had never seen before in her life. Slowly she sank down on it. “Fred, tell me something. I’m scared.”

Sitting beside her, Fred found himself at a loss for words as he cautiously reached for her hand. He wanted to tell her everything would be fine. That this was all a bad dream, but it wasn’t. This felt very real. Fred knew what dreams felt like, what imagination was, and this was most certainly reality, and he was in it. _Be careful what you wish for_ , he told himself. “Snotface… I really don’t have any answers. Well, maybe a few guesses.”

“Then GUESS.” Her eyes pleaded with him.

“Right… So, my guess is that, I think somehow you and me... have been brought into an alternate reality… One where you and me are…” He stopped and cleared his throat as he felt his face warm at the thought. He shook his head and hopped back up to his feet to rid himself of the unwelcome feeling.

“Are you kidding me? I don’t understand. Alternate… How? How does this just happen? I went to sleep! That’s all I did and now everything’s changed? How?”

Fred shrugged, throwing his arms out as he shook his head. “I don’t know! I’ve never been in one, Snotface!” He chuckled under the weight of his anxiety, until he saw the tears starting to well up in Lizzie’s eyes. _Ah, shit._

“Snotface, please don’t cry,” he said.

“Don’t cry? Don’t cry? I’m somehow in an altered reality, my whole life basically gone, I’m married to my best friend who as of yesterday was imaginary, and we had a child I don’t even remember having, and- Oh God, I feel sick.” She grabbed her stomach and ran for the bathroom sink, splashing cold water over her face.

Out of habit, Fred tried to teleport to her, but nothing happened. His magic didn’t exist in this reality. Somehow. Knots of his own fears formed inside his stomach and he hurried on foot after Lizzie. When he found her she was blotting her face with a towel.

“Listen, I’ll figure it out,” he said.

“How?”

“I’m Fred.”

“Wonderful,” she said, her voice drenched with sarcasm. “And tomorrow we’ll wake up in a house with a picket fence and swing and I’ll be six months pregnant. And then who knows about next week!”

“Hey, come on. I said I’d fix it. I’ve always helped you.”

“Fred, this is different. You’re human here. You had magic before.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m outta tricks.” Fred frowned. “...Aren’t you even the littlest bit happy to have me back? I’m your best friend. You just said so in the other room.”

Lizzie glared pointedly at him. “According to the law, you’re now my husband.” She grabbed her head.

“Natalie!” Fred said, snapping his fingers. “That was her name! She needed an imaginary friend, right? Chances are if it’s not me in this world, it’s someone else now. We’ll just ask her to ask whoever it is to figure this out!” He grinned as if the problem had already been solved.

Lizzie gaped. “Fred, you didn’t even remember her ten minutes ago. This is crazy!”

“Yes, well you know her… Don’t you?” His voice hitched with worry.

Lizzie tilted her head, trying to think back, but it felt like parts of what her life should be like were missing. “Mickey Dunce? No, no, that’s not right… Mickey… Bunce?” she asked, squinting. “I think he’s her father.” Why was it so hard to remember?

“Great!” said Fred, throwing his arms out to the side before snatching Lizzie’s hand and pulling her to the kitchen. He flung her in front of the phone and rubbed his hands together. “Alright. Give the bastard a call.”

“And ask _what_?”

“I dunno. You’re the grown up,” he said.

“Right now so are you,” she added, making a face at him.

Fred stuck his tongue out at her. “I can’t be expected to do much on my first day!”

“Ugh. Fine,” she said, turning to the list of numbers on a sheet of paper beside the phone. None for Mickey Bunce. Sighing, she dialed the operator, who had her connected, and he answered after the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mickey. It’s Lizzie.” Fred leaned close to the receiver to listen in on the call and she swatted at him.

“Lizzie? I’m sorry I don’t think I know a Lizzie.”

Lizzie’s jaw dropped. “Oh, uh… Well, it was a long time ago. I’m Elizabeth. Elizabeth Cronin. We use to play together and-”

“Oh my gosh! Betsy?” he exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Lizzie laughed, nervously, twisting her fingers through the phone chord.

“How are you? Wow, this is great you called me.”

“I’m good. Just wondered if you would like to come by for lunch? I, uh, just moved back to town and my…” She looked at Fred and paused. “My husband and I could use some socializing.” _That felt SO weird._

“Oh, that’s nice!” he said. “And so great to hear. You got married? Wow. Me too. My wife and I would love to come by and meet you both. Would you mind if we brought our daughter, Natalie? She’s home today. Some problems at school.”

“Oh, no, no, of course we don’t mind.” Lizzie shared a look with Fred.

“So, how’s one sound?” Mickey asked.

“That sounds great.”

Lizzie quickly shared her address and directions and hung up the phone.

“God, has he always been so annoying?” said Fred. “That’s SO nice!” he said in his best Mickey impression. “What a girl.”

Lizzie gave him a look. “I think you’d better get dressed if we’re going to pull this off.”

Fred looked down to see he still wore the sheet. “Oh yeah… I forgot.”

“I’m sure there’s got to be something in there for you,” she said, nodding back to the bedroom.

Nodding, Fred looked Lizzie in the eyes. “We’re gonna fix this. I promise you.”

She tried to smile and he lifted his pinky to make his word official.

“But what happens if you can't?”

He linked his pinky with hers. “I’m Fred. That's not an option. Now, come and help me figure out how to squat into some trousers. It looks dangerous without any magic.”

Looking up at the ceiling, Lizzie mouthed something Fred couldn't make out and dragged him into the bedroom.


End file.
